Since before I could even read I have been a fan of heroic and colorfully clad characters and their battle against the forces of evil. Superheroes literally come in every shape and color though most people are mostly familiar with one type of of superhero, white. I have a small challenge for you dear reader: name 10 black superheroes you remember from your childhood ( and if you think you are familiar with comics try to name 20) without pausing for more than three seconds; most likely you probably can't without referring to Google.com which is perfectly reasonable since superheroes of color have always been an obvious minority in mainstream media.
I have developed a greater appreciation for black characters in comics, especially ones who have become more than obligatory token characters. Here is an alphabetical list of 50 plus black superheroes you probably didn't know existed including my top 10 (with honorable mentions) personal favorites:
AMAZING MAN
Amazing Man is actually an legacy Superhero identity passed down to other heroes, the first three Amazing Men belonging to the same family. The first Amazing Man, Will Everett first appeared in All Star Squadron #23 (1983). Everett was a star Olympian athlete who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Unfortunately the star athlete could only manage to become a lab janitor after the Olympics and was caught in an accident in said lab which left him the ability to mimic the properties of anything he touched like steel or brick. Aside from being a superhero Everett also lead marches during the Civil Rights Movement.
AQUALAD (Kaldur'ahm) /(Jackson Hyde)
This amphibious hero first appeared in the the television show Young Justice (2010) and was the introduced in comic books proper in Brightest Day #4 (2010). Aqualad happens to be the illegitimate son of his mentor Aquaman's greatest enemy, Black Manta. Aqualad has the ability to breathe and travel at super speed underwater, generate bio-electric shocks, form water into hard constructs of his choosing and was even unanimously voted as leader of his Young Justice team in his TV version.BATWING (David Zavimbe)
Introducing "the Batman of Africa", Batwing. First appearing in Batman Incorporated #5 (2011), Zavimbe was personally chosen by Batman to represent the Dark Knight's legacy in Africa during a period where Batman wanted to expanded his global influence. Zavimbe had tragic beginnings and was a member a militia of children soldiers for a war lord in the Congo of Africa. After being forced to commit many atrocities he eventually escaped the militia as a teenager and became a Congolese police officer by day and a defender of justice by night until further tragic events caused him to give up the mantle of Batwing. BATWING (Luke Fox)
BISHOP
Black to to the Future! Lucas "Luke" Bishop is a time displaced mutant police officer from a dystopian future where mutants are forced to live in concentration camps and are all branded with an "M" tattoo on their faces. You might have actually seen this guy before as he made several appearance in that awesome X-men cartoon from the nineties.Fist appearing in Uncanny X-men # 282 (1991) this Mutant anti-hero has the ability to absorb and redirect energy fired upon him and has been both an ally and an adversary of the X-men.BLACK LIGHTNING
With origins muddled in blaxplotation, Black Lighting is still quite notable because he was one of the fist major African American superheroes to appear in DC Comics. Originally based on a proposed character called the "Black Bomber", a black superhero who was really a racist white man in disguise (I kid you not) the character was retooled to become Jefferson Pierce, an Olympic decathlon athlete who would return to slums to his youth to fight crime as the superhero Black Lightning in Black Lightning #1 (1977). With martial skills and an inborn meta-human gene for conducting electricity, Black Lighting would go on to serve with the Justice League and was even appointed as the United States Secretary of Education in his civilian identity. The character once told fellow African-American superhero Mr. Terrific that he chose the name Black Lightning because he "was the only one of us around" and "wanted to make sure everyone knew who they were dealing with."BLACK PANTHER (Shuri)
BLACK RACER
BLACK VULCAN
Black Vulcan is a prime example of what happens when publishers and their writers have arguments. Black Vulcan was created to replace Black Lightning, who actually existed in DC comic books, for the cartoon Super Friends. Black Lighting's creator Tony Isabella had a dispute with DC Comics about the use of his character for the children's cartoon so DC decided to make up Black Vulcan which was very similar to Black Lightning (African-American superhero with electricity based powers) and would eventually be replaced with a black character that actually appeared in DC comic books, Cyborg. Black Vulcan first appeared Super Friend (1973). *Black Vulcan is the getting punch in the image*BLUE MARVEL
A brilliant athlete, scientist who graduated magma cum laude, veteran of the Korean War, and a Marine with two Silver Stars, Blue Marvel is most likely the most powerful character on this entire list. Adam Bernard Brashear was caught in a scientific accident during a an experiment to harness unlimited energy from another dimension; the exposure to radiation during the accident caused him to become empowered with vast superhuman strength, reflexes, stamina, energy projection, nigh-invulnerability, vastly slowed aging, flight, mental powers and more. The Blue Marvel was a champion of the American people in the 60's but was asked by President John F. Kennedy to step down and retire when the public discovered he was an African-American during a battle where the Blue Marvel's full headed helmet was damaged and part of his face was revealed; President Kennedy told him that America was just still too racist to accept a black super-man yet and orchestrated a government plan to fake Blue Marvel's death during a mission. Blue Marvel would later reappear as a tenured professor of physics in Maryland and has re-emerged as a hero in the modern times. First appearance, Adam: the Legend of the Blue Marvel #1(2008)
BROTHER VOODOO/ DOCTOR VOODOO
A pair of twin Haitian superhero mystics would inhabit the same body Jericho and Daniel Drumm are Brother Vodoo. Jericho is a sorcerer with immense magical powers that is possessed by his dead brother Daniel, who also has magical powers, research on these guys made my head hurt so I don't have much to say about them, first appearance Strange Tales #169 (1973).
BUMBLEBEE
CAPTAIN UNIVERSE
Captain Universe is a superhero which requires a host body to help it protect the embodiment of Eternity. Did that come off kind of confusing? Basically when there is a great crisis and all of time and space is in jeopardy, a manifestation of energy called the Uni-Power selects a worthy avatar to become Captain Universe. Various beings throughout the cosmos including several superheroes of Earth like the Hulk, Spider-man, Daredevil etc. have been granted the immense powers of the Captain Universe. The current Captain Universe host body happens to be an amnesiac African American woman named Tamara Devoux so she goes on the list. Tamara first appears in Avengers vol. 5 #1 (2013).CLOAK
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Cloak, is one half of the urban superhero team Cloak and Dagger who first appeared in Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-man # 64 (1982)Practically inseparable from his partner the shimmering Dagger (Tandy Bowen), Cloak is a hero with a tortured soul; Tyrone "Ty" Johnson was a runaway with a stuttering problem which prevented him from warning a friend of his from being struck and killed by a car in New York City. Desperate for money Tyrone considered stealing money from a young Dagger when he first meets her and then feels guilty when the kind-hearted Tandy, who is also a runaway, offers him money. Soon Tyrone is forced to deliver chemicals by a crime mob alongside his new friend Tandy which they soon discovered are being tested on runaway teens. The crime mob pays the two young runaways for the delivery by giving them both a lethal injection of the chemicals. Miraculously both survive and develop super power incorporated with darkness (Cloak) and Light (Dagger). Cloak's powers of teleportation and intangibility come with a costly strange Darkforce hunger that can only be soothed when he is in the presence of Dagger's light.FRENZY
Originally a mercenary who became an enemy of the X-men, Joanna Cargill, also known as Frenzy is a super strong mutant who has now aligned herself with the X-men team after living a through a dream where she was married to the X-men leader Cyclops. Frenzy made her first appearance in X-Factor #4 (1986). Let's see if she takes advantage of her second chance.HARDWARE
First appearance Hardware #1 (1993). Created for DC Comics' Milestone Comic imprint by Dwayne McDuffie, Hardware is a High Tech Creature of the Night that fights crime in Dakota. Curtis Metcalf (Hardware) was a child prodigy and graduated with the first of his seven degrees at the age of 14. Metcalf's tuition was paid by his mentor Edwin Alva Sr. who was secretly a corrupt businessman with ties in extortion and organized crime. Hardware's civilian identity is that of an employee of Edwin Alva's and works to destroy everything illegal Alva is involved in using the same tech Hardware invented for Alva's business.ISAIAH BRADLEY
Isaiah Bradley the "Black Captain America" was created by Marvel Comics to reference the real-life controversial Tuskegee Syphilis Study and first appeared in Truth: Red, White and Black #1 (2003). In an attempt to recreate the success of the original Captain America super soldier serum during WWII, 300 black soldiers are secretly taken to a classified location and are subjected to potentially fatal experiments; all but one soldier, Isiah Bradley, survive the experiment and the families of the deceased are told that the men in died in battle. While on a secret mission Bradley steals parts of a spare Captain America costume and attacks a Nazi stronghold but is captured and then experimented on further by the Nazis. Eventually rescued and sent back to the United States, Bradley is court-martialed for taking part in the unsanctioned mission that got him captured and is imprisoned until President Eisenhower pardons him. The "Black Captain America's" story is spoken in hushed reverence by the African American community of the Marvel Universe.FIRESTORM (Jason Rusch)
First appearing in Firestorm vol. 3 #1 (2004) Jason Rusch is third person become the superhero Firestorm. Prior to becoming a superhero Jason was a teenage boy living in Detroit and was stuck in a life he hated; Jason's mother left his father after his father lost his hand in a factory accident at his job, this caused Jason's father to become very abusive towards Jason. Desperate for money and a way to make a better life for himself Jason got involved doing a job for a drug dealer which led him to discover the Firestorm Energy at a facility he was attempting to rob. After fusing with the Energy Jason became Firestorm and gained the ability to alter inorganic matter to different chemical substances of the mass, superhuman strength and resistance, flight, absorb radiation harmlessly and the ability to fire atomic blasts.ICON
Created by a pioneer of minority superheroes writer Mr. Dwayne McDuffie, the hero Icon shares many similarities with the well known hero Superman. In the year 1839 an alien life pod descended from space and landed in the American South. Emerging from the pod was an alien named Arnus who changed his appearance to mimic the first life form who discovered him; that life form was a black slave woman named Miriam who saw the life pod crash. Arnus would later become the superhero Icon and fight for justice with abilities such as super intelligence, flight, nigh-invulnerability, energy blasts, and a slew of other powers. In his civilian guise he is a successful lawyer and first appeared in Icon #1 (1993).JOSIAH X
Josiah al hajj Saddiq first appeared in The Crew #1 (2003). Josiah is a Muslim minister and runs a Muslim Mission in Brooklyn, New York. Josiah's super soldier physique is the result of being the son of Isaiah Bradley, the "Black Captain America". Josiah was born in secret with a surrogate mother that fled with him to escape the influence of the American military.MR. MIRACLE (Shilo Norman)
First appearing in Mister Miracle #15 (1973),this hero was the third escape artist to bear the mantle of Mr. Miracle. Abandoned as a baby by his mother, Shilo grew up in an orphanage in the Suicide Slums of Metropolis. As a teen Shilo decided to run away from the orphanage and began living on the streets until he became the protegee of the original Mr. Miracle who trained him in martial arts and the ability to perform defying escape acts.MISTER TERRIFIC
Micheal Holt is the second hero to bear the mantle of Mister Terrific. Considered the Third Smartest Man Alive Micheal Holt is a former Olympian, holds several degrees and doctorates, is a technological genius and holds three black belts. Micheal Holt first appears in Spectre vol.3 #54 (1997).
NICK FURY (Ultimate Universe)
The first character of Marvel comics named Nick Fury was a Caucasian war hero turned super spy. In the Early 2000s Marvel comics launched a new line called the Ultimate Marvel Universe and created an African-American Nick Fury. This Nick Fury is also a war hero, having fought in WWII and was one of the first test subjects to receive the Captain America super soldier serum. Nick Fury is the head of S.H.E.I.L.D., a government peace keeping program and has ties to about every superhuman in his world. On a side-note Samuel L. Jackson's likeness has been a staple of the character almost since his creation and Marvel Comics signed a deal to make sure that Mr. Jackson is always cast in any live-action movies that use the black Nick Fury. Nick Fury first appears in Ultimate Marvel Team-Up # 5 (2001).NIGHT THRASHER
Donyell Taylor is the illegitimate child of Daryl Taylor, a rich businessman. In order to prove himself superior to Daryl Taylor's legitimate child Dwayne (who was also a superhero) Donyell creates his own armor and gadgets to become first Bandit and then the hero Night Thrasher (formerly Dwayne's hero identity.) Night Thrasher has spent most of his career leading a team of young heroes called the New Warriors. Donyell first appears in Night Thrasher vol 2 # 3 (1993).NUBIA
The original version of this heroine was the long lost twin of Wonder Woman; both were created from clay and blessed with superhuman abilities by the gods. Nubia was kidnapped by warrior men from Mars at a young age and trained with them until adulthood. The first time she reunites with Wonder Woman they do battle and Nubia intends to replace Diana (Wonder Woman) as the true Wonder Woman. Though she was raised by butchers, Nubia is a noble warrior who has teamed up with her white twin on several occasions. First appearance: Wonder Woman vol. 1 #204 (1973).RAGE
First appearing in The Avengers #326 (1990), Elvin Daryl Haliday appears to be a muscular man in his mid-thirties but is actually between the age of 15-16. One day after coming home from basketball practice he was exposed to toxic waste with caused his growth and change of appearance. Now possessing great leaping leaping ability and superhuman strength Rage is a young force of justice.ROCKET
Though the side-kick of the hero Icon, Rocket was actually the main protagonist of their comic series. Rocket met Icon while attempting to rob his home. Rocket at one point had to overcome her addiction to crack cocaine and was a single mother in addition to being a superhero. While in costume Rocket makes use of a special belt Icon designed that allows her to fly and manipulate kinetic energy. Rocket made her first appearance in Icon #1 (1993).
SPECTRUM/PHOTON/ CAPTAIN MARVEL
This one time leader of the Avengers is able to change her body in any form of energy within electromagnetic spectrum, can generate and absorb energy, and can fly up to the speed of light. Before becoming the first African American female to join the Avengers Monica Rambeu was a lieutenant in the New Orleans Harbor Patrol. Monica gained her powers while trying to stop the creating of a weapon and once exposed to extra dimensional energy during a struggle over the weapon. Monica first appeared in The Amazing Spider-man Annual #16 (1982).STEEL
SUPERMAN (Calvin Harris/Kalel)
Debut: Final Crisis #7 (2008). This Superman comes from an alternate dimension where he was the baby who escaped the dying planet of Krypton. When this Superman first appeared in comics he was assumed by most people to be Barrack Obama since both men are black Presidents of the United States. In his next appearance his secret identity of President Calvin Harris (born as Kalel) who was secretly the Man of Steel while his assistant Braniac covered for him in the Oval Office. Calvin Harris is actually based on based President Barrack Obama according to his creator Grant Morrison.SYNCH
This mutant hero was a protegee of the X-men and had the ability to mimic and gain master of the abilities of nearby super humans. Synch sacrificed his life to save a group of classmates from an explosion during an attack on the Massachusetts Academy. Synch first appears in X-men #36 (1994).THUNDER
The eldest of Black Lightning's daughters, Thunder has the ability to increase her mass to make her almost invulnerable and immovable. Thunder also has the ability to make make shock waves by stomping the ground. Her younger sister is the superhero Lightning. Thunder debuted in Outsiders vol. 3 #1 (2003).VIXEN
Before we get to the top 10 characters I consider the cream of the crop and my personal favorites black characters in comic book I would like to list in no particular order 5 honorable mentions.
SPAWN
Al Simmons was a former assassin who was promoted to the C.I.A. after saving the President of the United States of America. While working with the government Simmons took part in several immoral missions which led to him killing innocence and uncovered some horrible secrets about the American Government; due to him knowing too much Simmons was assassinated by a his partner Chapel to keep him quiet. Simmons soul was sent to Hell where he bargained with the demon Malebolgia for a chance to see his wife again, the demon agreed but sent Simmons back to Earth five years after his death as a demon warrior with no memory of who he once was. Eventually regaining his memory Spawn is an anti-hero that is constantly fighting forces from Heaven, Hell, and everything else in between. Spawn first appeared in Spawn # 1 (1992).JOSEPH "ROBBIE" ROBERTSON
Joseph "Robbie" Robertson was one of the most consistent black characters to appear in superhero media when I was young thanks to the Spider-man Animated Series cartoon. Not a superhero himself, this supporting character of the Spider-man franchise has always been a role model to me due to his fairness and integrity as the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Bugle newspaper. First appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man #51 (1967), Robbie was one of the first supporting African-American characters to have a serious role in stories and not just be comic relief. Robbie has always when been the moral compass of the Daily Bugle which draws him into many conflicts with his publisher and good friend J. Jonah Jameson (especially about their polar views on Spider-man). Robbie has always shown me that you don't have to be super to be a hero.FALCON
The first African American superhero in mainstream comics and first hero of African decent not use "black" in his superhero name Falcon has the ability to see through the eyes of birds and has a mental link with his pet falcon Redwing. Fist appearing in Captain America #117, Falcon's original story is that of a social worker from Harlem who first meets and trains with Captain America to defeat a group of Nazis on a tropic island. For some reason or another the character's origin story was changed to be that of a thug and pimp who became heroic after the reality altering powers of the Cosmic Cube erased his memories of his criminal past. Frequently partnering with Captain America, Falcon is one the original spandex clad, crime fighting brothers.CYBORG
Victor Stone was the son of a pair of scientist who used him a test subject in an experiment to increase human IQ; though the experiments were a success and Victor became a genius he also resented his parents for experimenting on him and decided to become a star athlete but to their chagrin. One day while visiting his parents at their lab a malfunction with their computer systems occurs which causes a monster from another dimension to come to their world, the monster kills Victor's mother and mangles most of his Victor's body; in order to save his son Victor's father, Elias, turns Victor in a half-human and half-robot man. Initially very bitter about being turned into Cyborg, Victor eventually uses his new prosthetic parts and the powers they grant to fight evil with the Teen Titans and now the Justice League. Cyborg first appears in DC Comics Presents #26 (1980).AMANDA WALLER
Dr. Amanda Blake Waller is one of the most calculating and manipulative strategist in all of comics; a government agent who consistently employs super criminals for a clandestine missions on her Suicide Squad Waller finds herself assisting superheroes as much as she fights against them. First appearing in Legends #1 (1986), Waller is a widow whose husband and daughter were murdered in the Cabrini-Green housing projects who became a congressional aide and eventually the head of American black ops team the Suicide Squad. Initially depicted as an overweight woman, Waller was given a more slender look in modern DC comics.MY TOP 10 LIST
Picking number 1 was easy, numbers 2-4 came down to which heroes I believed has the most interesting adventures and more importantly which I had wish to be like most often.
10. ZACK THE BLACK RANGER
First off, the Power Rangers are superheroes, they wear colorful costumes, they defended the city of Angel Grove and weren't afraid to blow up a couple monsters Godzilla style. Zack the Black Ranger I honestly believe is the first black superhero I was ever introduced to, I actually think he was the first African American superhero ever on live action television and that I think is quite awesome. I forgive the fact that among the Rangers he was the one who would dance while fighting aliens but Zack was still like the coolest Ranger (under Tommy of course) and as I've gotten older I have been able to truly appreciate the significance of the character. Zack Taylor first started inspiring a generation of black nerds in first episode of Might Morphing Power Rangers.9. WAR MACHINE
Lieutenant James "Rhodey" Rhodes has served with United States Marines, makes his first appearance in Iron Man vol 1 #118 (1979) being stranded near the Asian Island where Tony Stark first dons his Iron Man armor; the two men run into each other fight off Stark's pursuers and are flown to safety by Rhodes. Seeing him as a potential asset, Tony Stark hires Rhodes as his personal pilot and the two eventually become close friends. Rhodes would eventually become Iron Man during Stark's relapse into into alcoholism and would operate as Iron for several crucial events in Marvel Comics including Secret Wars and the formation of the West Coast Avengers. Rhodes would don the War Machine armor which he is most known for after a previously thought dead Tony Stark would come back to life (don't ask) to become Iron Man again. The War Machine armor is practically a tank on two legs that grants Rhodes superhuman strength, ability to fly at mach 3 and includes many more gadgets that are constantly being upgraded. 8. MISTY KNIGHT
Misty Knight is one of my favorite characters in comics despite her being extremely obscure in the mainstream scene (hopefully those new Netflix shows will change that) and is a smart talking, Kung Fu kicking, robotic arm having, private detective. Known to work with other urban heroes like Colleen Wing and the Heroes for Hire Iron Fist and Power Man (Luke Cage). Misty Knight was originally a police officer for the NYPD who lost her right arm preventing a bomb attack in the city which caused her to resign from the force since she didn't want a desk job; Tony Stark would soon give her a super strong robotic arm which allowed her connect with most computers, Misty would then open up a private investigators company and become an information broker for the many superheroes who operated in New York City. Misty Knight was created to has in on the blaxploitation and Kung Fu movie craze of 1970s and still retains her very groovy fro to this day. The character first made a physical appearance in Marvel Premiere # 21 (1975).7. STATIC
Who didn't love that awesome WB Kids Static Shock cartoon show from back in the day? Back then I didn't know that Static wasn't just a hero in a cartoon show that would eventually make appearances in the even more awesome Justice League animated series but a character from DC comics' Milestone Comics brand. Virgil Hawkins (Static) is named after the real life Virgil Hawkins, a black man denied entrance into The University of Florida's law school in 1949. Originally meant to be a Marvel comics character, Static was meant to be a contemporary version of Spider-man and the two characters share several similarities such as becoming superheroes as socially awkward, wise cracking science whiz teens. Virgil Hawkins gained his electromagnetic powers by being exposed to an experimental agent during a gang fight he was involved in; during said gang fight the police of Dakota use tear gas with a chemical compound meant to tag those involved with tumble not knowing that the tear gas and been secretly modified to cause mutations. Dealing with typical teenage problems like bullying, drugs and trying to get money Static defends Dakota City from other teens (known as Bang Babies) that were doused with same gas as him who use their new found powers for crime. Static first appears in Static #1 (1993).6. BLADE and MICHONNE (its a tie)
When literature gains a cult following it sometimes gets turned into some great live action work; the first two Blade movies starring Wesley Snipes and The Walking Dead live action show on television are such great works which showed two strong blacks taking it to supernatural who just happen to be both use swords.
Blade was born more than a century ago in a London brothel; his mother was having complications with the birth so a doctor who was secretly a vampire was called in to aid her. Upon arriving at her bedside the vampire feasted on Blade's mother and somehow passed in a portion of his ability to the new born Blade in the process. Blade gained semi-vampire powers which included super strength, a prolonged lifespan and differed from normal vampires because he could walk in the sun and was immune from turning into a full vampire. Blade has scoured the earth on a hunt to kill Dracula and his vampire army and other supernatural forces that threaten man. Blade first appears in The Tomb of Dracula #10 (1973).
Michonne is a former lawyer turned zombie-slicing swordsman of the apocalyptic world of the Walking Dead comic world. When she is first encountered she has two chained zombie in tow and is quite an enigma to readers. Michonne has spent quite a bit of time traveling a the zombie filled waste land alone and has developed a habit to talking to her self when no one is around. Strong willed and determined to survive Michonne has lost just about every one close to her including her children and boyfriend to flesh eating zombies. Michonne has been known to easily dispatch an entire group of zombies armed with her katana sword all on her own and is starting to realize that in this new monstrous world of hers it is still more important to be more wary of the living than the dead. Michonne first appears in The Walking Dead #19 (2005).5. SPIDER-MAN (Miles Morales)
The announcement to the world of the character Mile Morales was met with quite a lot of of controversy for two reasons: he would replace the Ultimate Marvel Comics (not the mainstream) Peter Parker as Spider-Man who had been killed and that Miles Morales was a Black Hispanic replacement for the Caucasian Peter Parker. The story received international coverage putting Marvel Entertainment under some scrutiny; some felt that creating a black Spider-Man was just a publicity stunt to attract more readers by doing something politically correct, while others thought it was a great way to introduce minority children to a new minority role model, while others were just pissed that Peter Parker was being killed and replaced. I personally think it was a bold and awesome move to create Mile Morales whose creation is partly inspired by President Barrack Obama and actor Danny Glover.
4. LUKE CAGE
Nobody keeps it real more than Luke Cage aka Power Man. Luke Cage is one of the very first African American heroes to star in his own comic book and first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire # 1 (1972). I first discovered the character while I was in high school while reading an issue from the House of M story line and didn't take him seriously because all I could see him as was a character made to look like an urban thug who happened to fight along side superheroes, fortunately when I eventually discovered the character's original "boogie-oogie" disco look (which was even more cheesy) I was already an avid comic book reader who realized there was more to Luke Cage than stereotypical costumes and that he was one of the best comic characters ever created. Born Carl Lucas, Cage grew up in Harlem New York and spent his youth as a member of street gang and committed many thefts for larger groups such as the Maggia mob. Cage originally wanted to become of a high tier racketeer of New York but eventually realized what a devastating toll his criminal activities had on his family and therefore decided to reform. Things seem to be going well for Cage until his close friend Stryker planted heroine on him and got him sent to jail a innocent man. Cage would eventually being transferred from his original prison in New York to Sea Gate prison in Georgia due to his many brawls and escape attempts in the New York prison. In a bargain for parole Cage volunteered for a controversial experiment meant to make man immune to all disease, the experiment would be sabotaged by a prison guard who hate Cage and resulted in Cage gain super powers; Cage gained super dense muscles and near unbreakable skin which he used to escape Sea Gate prison and run away to New York using his new name, Luke Cage. Luke Cage decided to use his super strength to hire out his services and became a private investigator and contract hero for hire. Most times Cage wouldn't accept money for his heroic services and became a legend in the urban super hero community. Cage is known for his partnership with fellow hero for hire the mystic martial artist Iron Fist and has served as a member of the Defenders, The Fantastic Four and most recently The Avengers superhero teams. 3. GREEN LANTERN JOHN STEWART
A superb architect and former Marine trained sniper from Detroit, John Stewart is one the most powerful and well known African-American characters in all of comics. He is one the DC comics first ever African-American superheroes and one of my all time favorite characters I enjoy reading about. Originally chosen by the Guardians of the the Universe to be a second stand in for the Green Lantern Hal Jordan, John would eventually become a full fledged Green Lantern charged with not only protecting Earth but several other sectors of the universe. John possessing a Green Lantern power ring which imbues him the ability to constructs of green hard light based on anything he can imagine, fly and travel in space at tremendous speeds, gives him limited invulnerability and several other powers depending on how he uses the ring. As a Green Lantern John has gone through many hardships that would shatter a lesser man such as accidentally destroying an inhabited planet, being forced to kill fellow Green Lanterns in order to save the universe and even losing his wife then having having her resurrected just to lose her again. Thanks in great part to the critically acclaimed Justice League animated series many people expected John Stewart to be the main character of the 2011 Green Lantern movie starring Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan even though in actuality John Stewart is the fourth character from Earth to use the name Green Lantern. This stoic hero first appeared in Green Lantern vol. 2 #87 (1972).2. BLACK PANTHER (T'Challa)
The Black Panther, king T'Challa is the absolute first black superhero to appear in mainstream comics first appearing in Fantastic Four #52 (1966). The title of Black Panther is a ceremonial name used to showed the rank of the ruler of the fictional African nation of Wakanda. Though the title is passed downed heredity it must still be earned through the completion of rigorous trials. When T'Challa's father King T'Chaka is murdered by a European explorer named Ulysses Klaw who came to land of Wakanda to exploit its resource of the fictional mineral virbranium, a teen aged T'Challa leaves Wakanda and scours Africa to begin his training to the throne. Years later after his training T'Challa returns home and succeeds in the trails to earn the mantle of the Black Panther. As the Black Panther T'Challa has access to a "heart-shaped" herb that grants his him super human senses which complement his already Olympian level speed, endurance, acrobatic ability, and strength, his genius level intellect and vast martial aritist prowess. The Black Panther's costume is woven with vibranium shards which allow him increased durability and resistance to sonic attacks. The Black Panther is also a master strategist who single-handily out maneuvered and defeated the entire Fantastic Four in order to see if they could be allies in defeating Klaw who been become a supervillian of living sound. The Black Panther has served on the Avengers and is highly respected in the Marvel Universe and really needs to get his own movie already!*Drum roll please*
1. STORM
Ororo Monroe is the one character on this list that I expect everyone to already have some semblance of. She is an immensely powerful human mutant with the ability to control the weather, has led the X-Men and been a member of both the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. Storm first appears in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975); I myself was first introduced to Storm when I was a kid watching the 1990s X-Men cartoon in which she appeared in almost every episode. Storm is what most people strive to be because she is strong willed, intelligent, a natural born leader, noble, and carries herself in a fashion that would just have you assume she is royalty.Storm is one of the first black comic book characters and is the very first black female to appear as a superhero in mainstream comics. For many people, myself included, Storm is the first fictional positive African American female role model they are introduced to.
Ororo Monroe was born in New York as the child of a Kenyan tribal princess mother and an African American father who was a photographer. At six months old Ororo moved to Cairo Egypt with her parents but would soon lose them when a damaged fighter jet falls on her home and kills both her parents; this harrowing experience causes Ororo to become a claustrophobic as she is buried under the rubble of her home alone for quite sometime. Now orphaned on the streets of Cairo she becomes a member of a guild of child thieves and becomes a master pickpocket and learns to pick almost any lock. Eventually leaving the thief guild when she becomes a teenager, Ororo decides to follow an inner urge to travel Serengeti of Africa on her own.
Ororo first discovers her innate mutant ability to fly on the winds and control weather while travelling the Serengeti and becomes an urban legend known as the Wind rider. Ororo also encounters and falls in love with a young T'Challa, the future Black Panther and her future husband. The two part ways after going on numerous adventures together and Ororo continues to travel the plains of Africa using her mutant abilities to aid villages suffering from drought by causing it to rain on the villages' crops.
Time passes and Ororo now a young adult, settles in one village where she is known as the Goddess due to her seemingly super natural gifts. Ororo would then be approached by the leader of the X-men Charles Xavier who was putting together a team of new X-men to save his original team. With the X-men Ororo adopts the code name Storm and continues to champion Xavier's dream of a peaceful cohabitation between mutants and humans alike. Storm is the epitome of a great black superhero and will always be my favorite black hero from comics.
I hope this collection of black superheroes was enlightening for you and leaves wondering why such great characters aren't represented more in the mainstream media.
So let's try the challenge again: name as many black superheroes as you can....
